The Brownie

House purchasing is well underway. In just two days, I’ve filed and scanned every document for my mortgage lender, researched and quoted out my new insurance rates, closed my utility accounts, got a new tenant for my current spot, started packing, and looking into security alarm companies. Busy, busy, busy as ever. With all this comes stress, and with stress comes stress eating, and it’s just a short ride on a slippery slope to making copious amounts of brownies. Dark rich brownies that are just a few tablespoons of flour away from being pure fudge. It makes you feel much better when you’re staring at a mountain of requested financial statements and cursing adrenaline induced insomnia.

Those brownies are my favorites. When you bake them, you never really feel like they’re fully baked, even when they are because they are so dense. I’ve handed out the recipe before, and those silly caterers burned every batch trying to get it to “bake fully.” I wish they would just take an internal temperature and realize those little babies are done when the internal temp is 140 F. but no, they had this definition of a brownie that included a bizarre concept of being like unto cake. Why not just eat cake? This brownie isn’t cake. It isn’t fudge. It is what it is and that is a brownie. A yummy gooey, cocoa brownie with stress-reducing super powers.

I’m going to head off a comment question about how to put that powdered sugar pattern on the brownies. I know you. You will ask, I will sigh, and feel weird about putting answers in the comments instead of the post. Let’s just skip the middle man. That pattern is my cooling rack. Yes, these brownies were set about an half inch under my overturned cooling rack and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It’s that simple. Do that right before serving as the moisture will settle into the sugar and look pasty after a while.

I keep the leftovers (when there are some) in the fridge. I allow the pan to sit out for 20 minutes before cutting and then stick the brownie in the microwave for 8 seconds. It’s divine, and legitimately just as good as it is fresh out of the oven.

One last reminder, today is the last day. At midnight tonight EST the entries end.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof skillet, tarte tatin, or 8-inch frying pan. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Allow to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla and add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour.

Place the pan into the oven. If using a pan with a plastic handle, wrap the handle in aluminum foil first. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes or until internal temperature is 140 F. Let cool completely on a rack. Cut and serve.